Tag Archive for: atlanta personal trainers

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Supplement Review : Beta-Alanine

Supplement Review:  Make BETA-ALANINE a part of your supplement arsenal.

Here’s why:

Although you get this amino acid through small amounts in meats, it’s not enough to maximize your gains in the gym. Supplementing with 1.5-3 gram in both your pre and post workout drink will ensure that you maximize your strength and power output, increase your muscular endurance, train at a greater intensity, as well as boost your intra-muscular carnosine levels (precursor to nitric oxide (NO) production = greater pump and vascularity).

Many pre-workout powders on the market already include beta-alanine in the mix so no need to add in this case although you may consider adding to your post-workout shake as well. Most reputable supplement companies sell beta-alanine, although I’ve been happy with Allmax Nutrition’s product.

– Brad

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Multivitamin Necessary?

Is a Multivitamin Necessary?

…Absolutely!

Here’s why:

Research proves that those who train intensely lose many critical vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium, copper, selenium, chromium, vitamin B, and vitamin C.  The primary cause of the loss is due to their increased use for energy production during the workout as well as for recovery and protein synthesis following the workout.  Being deficient in any of these vitamins and minerals will hamper your performance, fat loss, and muscle growth.  Many doctors and dietitians claim that a multi is not necessary is you eat a well-rounded diet, BUT even with the best of intentions, we all fall a little short one day or another.

For guys, one of my current favorites is Animal Pak.  For ladies, I like Opti Women although for both guys and ladies there are many other great one’s out there as well, just be sure to pick up one that covers at least 100% DV for most vitamins and minerals.

– BradUnknown

Source: Dr. Jim Stoppani

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Best Form of Creatine

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As a personal trainer, I get lots of questions in regards to supplementation.  One supplement that I’m asked about fairly frequently is creatine. Creatine is without a doubt one of the, if not the most effective natural supplement in supporting lean muscle mass gains, strength and power increases, and greater endurance in the gym or cardio activities. While there are various forms of creatine out there, the one that I’ve found to be effective without the side effects is creatine HCL.

Creatine HCL is superior to creatine monohydrate for multiple reasons including:

No bloating, no cramping, no excess water retention outside the muscle cells (subcutaneous water buildup making you look “soft”), no necessary loading phase, and no cycling necessary.  Creatine HCL also allows for a much lower dose amount in addition to a 60% greater absorption rate than monohydrate.

Although Promera was the first to launch the HCL form, multiple other companies have released this variation of creatine as well.

– Brad

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Go Organic?

I think so.

Here’s why:

Organic

1. Must follow strict standards – grown, processed, and handled according to strict procedures – at the highest level means it contains no chemicals or toxins. (Likely best for our long term health.)

2. Free of genetic modification – Organics cannot be grown using genetically engineered seeds.

3. Better for the soil and water supply.  Because grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, free from leaking into our water supplies.

4. Fresher and tastes better.  Because free of preservatives, has short shelf life = fresher.  Also beneficial to your local community as most are likely produced close to home.

5. Safer and more humane animal products.  Organically raised animals are not fed byproducts, or given antibiotics and growth hormones.  And to better their health, are given more room to move as well as access to a natural outside environment.  Crowded living conditions are the leading cause of animal sickness and suffering.

– Brad

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Atlanta Personal Trainers | Savage Race 2013

The Race Built to Kick Your Ass!

On Saturday, May 11th Brad Kolowich Jr, his team of personal trainers, and many clients loaded up the vans, cars, and SUV’s to make a road trip to the best mud obstacle race around. The Savage Race’s mission is to produce something bigger than a race itself. Upon pulling up to the immaculate fielded area and seeing this 6 mile course, with 25 insane obstacles dispersed amongst the terrain, we knew they successfully accomplished their mission. As stated on the Savage Race website, participating means you are putting the rest of your life on hold while pushing your limits to dominate their mud obstacle course. Again, mission accomplished! From the start line energy to the first obstacle (train cars filled with ice water) to the muddy low crawling finish under barb wire, this race will not be something any one of us will soon forget. At the conclusion of the race, we gathered in a field and shared good food, drinks and laughter about all the trials we just recently endured. The Savage Race “High” still lingers in our gym atmosphere this week as we reminisce and share our experience with those who were too timid to wrestle these obstacles.

Team “Live Life Fit or just get muddy and drink”, stuck together through the end and completed the race. The comradery and memories we gained as a studio are immeasurable.  We look forward to working together many more times in the future to accomplish goals and mark things off of our bucket lists!

Pictured below are the “Life Life Fit” team members. Congrats to all our participants and race finishers!

Atlanta Personal Trainers run Savage Race 2013

– Written by Mandy, ISSA-CFT, SFN

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Atlanta Personal Training | Client of the Month April 2013

 Client of the Month April 2013:  Robert Manolache

client of the month best atlanta personal trainers

Robert Manolache, 30, his wife Mariya and their two young boys live in Peachtree Corners, Ga. Robert began training with Brad two and a half years ago.  In the summer of 2012, Robert began to follow a periodized mass gaining program.  Through a personalized training program that was broken down into discreet time periods based on Robert’s goals, he was able to put on lean mass in his chest, shoulders, arms and legs.  Not only did Robert gain size but he vastly increased his strength through periods of heavier lifting following by lighter lifting while minimizing fat gains.  Robert is currently the Brad Kolowich jr personal training studio record holder in the 95lbs squat strength test and the maximum deadlift record holder. Robert now commutes 5 days a week to train with Brad.  In December, Robert began a strict leaning out program.  Since beginning, Robert has lost 10 lbs of body fat and 2 inches in his waist, while maintaining size (lean mass) in his biceps, chest and legs.  Robert follows the strict nutritional and supplementation guidelines Brad suggests and due to his consistency has seen amazing results.  Thank you Robert for your motivation and dedication to reaching your fitness goals and for being a inspiration to others who are working towards similar goals!  Congrats Robert!

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Atlanta Personal Training Studio Treats Clients to Healthy Valentine’s

What will you treat yourself to this Valentine’s Day?

how many calories in your valentine's day treats

Whether you are single, taken, or somewhere in-between, during this “love filled” season it is likely you have already been bombarded with candy. Red and pink colored candy, chocolates, truffles, cakes, frosted and sugar covered cookies, and chocolate covered strawberries cover the isles in grocery stores. There is no escaping these temptations! Tomorrow from the office candy jars to your desk that is likely to get filled with sweet treats by friends, co-workers and loved ones and your children coming home with boxes filled with sugar, your willpower is going to be tested. So what is the best Valentine Day treat to reach for when you feel your willpower stripping away as your potential stress from the holiday builds up???? Godiva chocolate or five Hershey’s Kisses, which would be the more waistline friendly pick?

Hershey Kisses, according to SparkPeople.com, will only set you back 112 calories, 6.7 grams of fat, and 12.9 grams of sugar. Godiva, though delicious, are filled with cream and other sugary extras, packing them with twice the amounts of calories, fat and sugar per serving. Your best option is to reach for the dark chocolate, which is packed with antioxidants (just be mindful how many times your hand reaches in the bag or box and don’t plow through the entire collection in one sitting).

At Brad Kolowich Jr’s personal training studio our personal trainers will be gifting our clients with a sensible way to satisfy their chocolate cravings this Valentine season. Pictured above is a special heart-shaped Red Velvet Protein Bar frosted with dark chocolate. The bar contains only 127 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, <1 gram of sugar, and 12 grams of protein. Here is how this healthy treat stands up in comparison to some other valentine favorites:

Valentine’s Treat Calories Fat Sugar
Panera Heart Cookie (1 cookie) 420 21 g 27 g
Target Mini Cupcakes (3 cupcakes) 350 17 g 40 g
Krispy Kreme Heart Donut  (1 donut) 300 16 g 19 g
Entenmann’s Golden Cupcake (1 cupcake) 290 14 g 33 g
Little Debbie Be My Valentine Snack Cake (1 cake) 290 13 g 27 g
Hershey’s Marshmallow Heart (1 king-sized heart) 240 7 g 35 g
Frosted Pillsbury Fun-Fetti Cupcake (1 cupcake) 200 5 g 22.5 g
Harry & David Chocolate-Covered Cherries (4 cherries) 190 10 g 13 g
Harry & David Raspberry Shortbread Cookies (2 cookies) 170 9 g 9 g
Nestle Valentine Brownie Bites (3 mini brownies) 170 9 g 18 g
Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart (1 heart) 170 10 g 16 g
Butterfinger Heart (1 heart) 160 8 g 18 g
Jelly Belly Valentine Mix (1.5 oz) 160 3 g 29 g
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry (average) (1 berry) 140 8 g 15 g
M&Ms Valentine’s Fun-Size Pack (1 pouch) 140 5 g 18 g
Snickers Valentine Minis (4 pieces) 130 6 g 15g
Trolli Valentine’s Gummy Candies (13 pieces) 130 0 g 24 g
Pillsbury Valentine Sugar Cookies (2 cookies) 120 6 g 8 g
Target Valentine Fruit Snacks (1 pouch) 80 0 g 14 g
Brach’s Conversation Heart Candies (11 pieces) 60 0 g 14 g

 

*Chart from www.sparkpeople.com/blog

-Written by, Mandy Malool ISSA-CFT, SFN

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Atlanta Personal Training | Brad Kolowich Jr Adds a New Team Member

Brad Kolowich Jr.’s Team of Trainers Just Got Another Trainer Stronger

Personal Training Atlanta personal trainers Jonathan Kolowich

This week, Brad and his Atlanta based personal training team just became another team member stronger.  In January, Jonathan Kolowich, the younger brother of Brad Kolowich Jr received his nationally accreditied fitness training certification from the International Sports Sciences Association (I.S.S.A).  Jonathan brings a depth of knowledge, athleticism, and experience to the team.

Jonathan grew up in the Atlanta area where he starred as a high school baseball player at Blessed Trinity Catholic School. Jonathan is a recent graduate of Georgia State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Managerial Science. He was on the Dean’s List throughout his collegiate career, and finished his last semester on the Principal’s Honor Roll with a 4.0 GPA. Jonathan attended Georgia State University on a baseball scholarship. Throughout his baseball career, he earned accolades such as CAA Rookie of the Week, CAA Player of the Week, and most recently College Sports Madness Conference Player of the Week just last February. Since finishing his baseball career, he has dedicated his time to the fitness industry. As well as his national fitness training certification, Jonathan also recieved certifcation CPR/ AED and first aid from the American Red Cross.

Jonathan’s biggest accomplishment thus far in the fitness industry took place in September 2012. He competed in the Men’s Fitness Ultimate Athlete Challenge in Las Vegas, a highly regarded event highlighting the best all around athletes in the world, and came in 4th place overall. He brings to the table knowledge in muscle leaning and toning, weight loss management, and also muscle growth training techniques. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys playing pickup games of basketball, slow pitch softball, running, wakeboarding, and spending quality time with his family and friends.

Welcome to the team Jonathan!  We are estatic to have his talent, knowledge, motivation and dedication on board!

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Atlanta Personal Trainers Recognize Client Achievement


Client of the Month

top personal trainers in Atlanta Brad Kolowich Jr

Each month, Brad Kolowich Jr’s team of personal trainers get together to evaluate and measure their clients progress towards their current goals.  Due to the wonderfully hardworking and kind clientele we have at Brad Kolowich Jr personal training studio it is never an easy task at hand to pick just one person who has shined.  However, as owner Brad says, “This is not Kindergarten.”  The client who has earned the status as client of the month has truly outworked, out-shined others and gone over and beyond to meet his/her goals.  The client who is picked to represent our studio as client of the month is someone who has not missed workouts, maintained a positive attitude, trusted and followed his/her trainers dietary and exercise advice and stayed dedicated in and out of the gym.  The client of the month is featured in our monthly studio newsletter, Live Life Fit, posted on our wall of fit people, and given a complementary protein shake.

February 2013 Client of the Month:  Cara Roxland

top personal trainers in atlanta Brad Kolowich Jr

 

This month Cara Roxland is our stellar client for February 2013! Cara Roxland, 30, lives in Brookhaven with her new hubby and two young kittens. Cara and her husband, John, got married in November 2012. In preparation of her February 2013 Hawaiian honeymoon, Cara came to our studio in hopes of reaching her beach body ready physique. Cara began working with Mandy in December and in just four short weeks (the holiday’s included) she lost ¼ + inches a week in her waist, hips, chest, and thighs. This brought to a total loss of more than an inch in these areas over a months time. Cara has followed a strict workout regimen, getting in 4 1-hour sessions a week in December and 3 1-hour sessions a week in January and she has attended Ab-Class in addition to this schedule. As her countdown to her honeymoon rapidly approaches, Cara will resume to 4 sessions a week in February. In addition to her regular training session in and out of the studio, Cara has consistently followed my dietary advice and has done the preparation necessary to maintain a low-carb diet. Cara comes to each session ready to put in the work and make dietary tweaks necessary to reach her goals. Just this week she dropped her carbs more and has begun to loose even more inches. Thank you Cara for your hard work, trust and commitment to reaching your goals, bettering your health and we wish you HAPPY HONEYMOONING!

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Atlanta Personal Training Studio Offers Core Toning Class

Saturdays 10:30am Core Class

the best personal trainers offer low cost core bootcamp

Saturday, January 19th, Brad Kolowich Jr hosted his second core focused class of the new year. The turn out was great and the workout was even better. Upon entering the class, the energy in his private personal training studio was already great. People were hanging out, talking and enjoying connecting while sipping on some hot coffee. The mats, medicine balls and all necessary equipment was lined up and ready for us to get to work. Before beginning the class, the lights were turned down low and the music went up. A video image of the instructors was projected up on the flat screen above making it easy to see what was going on at all times, even from the lying position you tend to be in while focusing on working on your core. Brad coached us through a 30-minute intense workout that not only focused on shaping our midsections, but also include active rest exercises that worked the entire body from head to toe. By the end of the class my heart was pumping, my muscles felt a good burn, and I was sweating from head to toe.

However that wasn’t all…at the conclusion of the class we were “refilled” with samples of the studio’s in-house protein shakes, coffee/tea, and a packet of information that further coached us on what we can do outside of class to continue to shape our core. Blake B. (a regular attendee this past fall and currently) describes the class as, “Different every time, except for the burn. Work as little or as hard as you want, but beware with Brad’s encouragement you will do more that you thought. You will see results after just a few times.” Bettina J., also a regular attendee this fall and currently (seen pictured), dropped several inches in her waist which she attributes to dedication to attending Brad’s Kolowich Jr’s personal training studio’s core class and adhering to his team’s nutritional advice.

Core class takes place each Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m and is only $15 a session. Please email us if you are interested at inquiries@bradkolowichjr.com OR stop in and check it out!

-Mandy
ISSA-CFT, SFN

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